Al Ettifaq, reeling from a hapless run of form, will welcome the in-form Saudi Pro League leaders Al Ittihad to the Abdullah Al Dabil Stadium for a one-on-one clash on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 15:25 GMT+1.
Key Highlights
Al Ettifaq
Al Ettifaq are winless in their last five outings in the Pro League, in a shocking return of performances and results that have seen them drop to 12th on the table.
Overall, Al Ettifaq have won just three matches out of 11 outings this season, drawing another three and losing five times in the process.
Steven Gerrard’s charges have managed just nine goals in 11 matches, which is the third-worst tally in the league, only better than bottom clubs Al Fayha and Al Fateh with 7 and 8 goals respectively. However, their defensive record has been relatively good, conceding 15 times in the 11 outings.
Gerrard’s 4-1-4-1 formation has not got the best of the attacking players, Gray and Toko Ekambi have not had much impact from wide areas, Dembele has not shown a significant cutting edge, whereas Medram and Fofana have not provided the expected creative output from midfield.
The focus for Al Ettifaq will be to retain their defensive solidity even as they enhance their attacking dynamism to create and take chances against a potent Al Ittihad side.
Al Ittihad
Ten wins and one defeat in 11 outings sees Al Ittihad at the top of the table with 30 points, two clear of second-placed Al Hilal.
In this season’s tight fight at the top end of the SPL table, Laurent Blanc will be pleased with his charges’ performances, form, and consistency this season, ahead of the trip to Al Ettifaq.
Blanc’s side have the joint second-best defensive record in the league alongside Al Qadsiah, having been considered just 8 times. They also have the second-best attacking output with 26 goals plundered, three behind Al Hilal’s 29 at the top of the charts.
Main men Houssem Aouar and Karim Benzema have led the way for Al Ittihad with significant impact.
Laurent Blanc’s 4-2-3-1 formation has got the best of his top players, including the midfield duo of Kante and Fabinho, who have dominated in matches and offer the attacking players the platform they need to attack and create chances.
Creative powerhouse Houssem Aouar will be pivotal for Al Ittihad as they look to retain their berth at the top of the Saudi Pro League this weekend
Injury Report
Steven Gerrard will have a near-fully-fit squad for the home clash against Al Ittihad. Only the defensive midfielder Abdulelah Al Malki is sidelined with a fitness issue, with the 30-year-old having missed the last outing. The fitness report is a boost for Steven Gerrard ahead of the daunting task of facing the leaders.
Al Ittihad will be sweating the absence of Karim Benzema ahead of the trip to face Al Ittihad. The 36-year-old Frenchman is recovering from a muscle stiffness that has kept him out of the last three outings. Laurent Blanc will also be without Luiz Felipe, Fawaz Al-Sqoor, Ahmed Sharahili, Abdulelah Al-Amri, and Ahmed Bamasud.
Team News
Steven Gerrard has shown faith in his starting 11. Moussa Dembele will likely continue leading the line, flanked by Toko Ekambi and Gray from wide areas. A midfield trio of Wijnaldum, Fofana, and Medran will continue to man the midfield areas.
Kante and Fabinho are the first names on the team sheet for Laurent Blanc, alongside Houssem Aouar. The fitness issue concerning Karim Benzema means that Al-Shehri will continue at the top end of the attack, with Bergwijn and Hawsawi manning the wide areas for the leaders.
Prediction
Laurent Blanc and Al Ittihad will be confident of taking three points against a hapless and out-of-form Al Ettifaq side. However, the script has been flipped, and they are the hunted ones now, which puts a different kind of pressure on them. This will be the first test for them, and they are favored to pass with flying colors by taking the three points.
